Bargarh is not a sightseeing town in its own right — there is no fort, no famous temple in the centre, and the streets are functional rather than picturesque. What it does have is its surroundings: weaving villages where the famous Sambalpuri ikat fabrics are made, the cliff-side Nrusimhanath temple at the head of a wooded valley, and a wildlife sanctuary on the shores of the Hirakud reservoir. Time your visit for the Dhanu Yatra festival in November or December and the whole town becomes a stage.